


Being Thankful

by Hino



Series: Everyone Is Welcome For The Holidays [1]
Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: A Thanksgiving fic, Also a passing mention of Jon and Mark, Gen, Just some nice fluff with Eduardo not being a dick because we need that in our lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-27
Updated: 2016-11-27
Packaged: 2018-09-02 14:02:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8670400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hino/pseuds/Hino
Summary: What's there to be thankful for on Thanksgiving?Your dumbass neighbours, for a start.





	

The knock on Eduardo’s apartment door was unexpected. It made him jump, looking away from the Spanish soap opera he was trying to understand, and forcing him to his feet. It was awkward to step over the remains of junk food and discarded clothing, but he thought nothing of it. It was probably some charity doing some doorknocking for their cause, which he would gently turn down and shoo away.

Another knock made him sigh, answering with a tired “Coming!” along with a few choice words muttered under his breath. Eduardo gripped the door handle and opened, ready to quietly and quickly shut down whoever was on the other side, when he found himself locking eyes with someone familiar.

“Hello!”

 

Eduardo took a sharp breath in, trying to remain calm and civil. “Hello, Edd,” he said, teeth grit as he spoke. “What brings you here?”

His hostility wasn’t lost on Edd, and the Brit took a step backwards, trying to give the other some space. “I uh, I wanted to ask you something,” he began. “You’re from America, right?”

“Mm.” It wasn’t a real reply, but it seemed the other took notice of it. Eduardo remembered coming to England like it was yesterday. His accent made him stick out like a sore thumb, and the kids were relentless, mocking him when he didn’t pronounce letters, or spelt words without a U in them. “I am,” came the addition a moment later.

Edd’s face lit up, shoulders sagging in relief. “Good! I was wondering if... well, Matt mentioned it, and Tom thought it was a good idea but-” Eduardo was staring at him, and his thin patience was honestly being tested. It made Edd wring his hands together nervously, trying to cut to the chase. “Listen, you don’t have anyone over at the moment, do you?”

The words made Eduardo flinch, and Edd realized a moment too late what he’d said. Jon was gone, and Mark had hightailed it out of London a week after the incident. He only barely stayed for Jon’s funeral, and the entire time he stayed away from Eduardo. It stung to remember, but he managed to shake himself from the thoughts.  
“No, nobody’s here.”

“Well...” Edd started, nervousness transformed into complete reluctance. “Would you... like to come over and celebrate Thanksgiving with us? I-I mean you don’t have to.” Taking another step back, Edd tried to give more space. He found himself scratching the back of his head, fingers gripping the strands tightly to try and calm down. “I understand that it’s for family to get together, and we haven’t exactly gotten on too well together, with the whole cola thing, and fighting eachother while dosed up on radiation, and even the haunted house but... if you’d consider...”

 

Edd found himself blushing, looking at his feet with uncertainty, wringing his hands together again. The sight of the Brit seeming so unsure sparked something in Eduardo. It was a soft snicker, that blew into deep laughter, loud and wholesome, startling Edd.

“I’m sorry!” Edd apologized, trying to be heard over the American’s laughter. “Sorry I-”

“Are you kiddin’?” came the out of breath response as Eduardo clung to the doorway, trying to stay on his feet. “We’ve known eachother since we started school. We went to the same college too. I may not like you, or your weird roommates very much, but like hell I’m turning down a Thanksgiving with you lot.”

His answer caught Edd off guard, and Eduardo took advantage of it, quickly grabbing his house keys before shutting the door and grabbing Edd’s wrist. The Brit snapped back to attention as he was dragged down the hall, towards the apartment stairs. “B-But I didn’t think you’d come with me!”

Eduardo laughed again, pushing open the door and stepping into the cold stairwell. “As much as I hate to admit it, you guys are some kind of family.” There was a smile on his face as he spoke, and although it looked awfully out of place, Edd didn’t want to see it go. “I haven’t spoken to my parents much, or any of my family, minus Grandma. Jon and Mark were kind of like my family, and you guys, by extension.” The smile on his face didn’t falter as they rounded the flight of stairs, moving up to Edd’s floor. “But now Mark’s gone home, and Jon’s... somewhere better, so I guess I’ll have to settle for you three.”

There was a moment of silence between them as Eduardo held the door open, waiting for Edd. He quickly stepped through, motioning for the American to follow. “If it makes you feel any better, Tom reluctantly agreed to invite you.”

“So much better,” Eduardo answered with a roll of his eyes.

 

There was shrieking coming from Edd’s apartment, but it didn’t deter either of them. As the door opened, the screams grew louder, and Eduardo watched in a mix of shock and amusement as Tom stood with a knife in a direct face-off with a turkey. It held another knife in its beak, and the two seemed to be slowly circling eachother, examining the situation and waiting for a chance to strike.

Matt was standing on the kitchen table, brandishing an oven tray as a weapon. “Edd, do something!”

“Nah, I’ve got this,” Tom answered calmly, still watching the turkey who seemed to be preparing for something. “This bird’s ready to be plucked.”

“I really thought this would be done by now.” Edd crossed his arms and sighed. “Sorry, Ed-”

He stopped, watching as the man approached the unaware turkey, moving quietly as he got closer. Without warning, he lunged, grabbing the bird and wrestling the knife free. Tom took advantage of the situation and plunged the weapon deep into the bird, quickly ending its life. “Well, that’s a first,” said Eduardo, smile still hanging around.

Tom laughed. “Nothing like a good workout before dinner, hm?” he asked, earning a nod and a laugh from the American. Matt slowly clambered down from the table, lifting the bird with some help from Edd, who’d managed to break out of his shock and close the front door.

“So,” Matt started as he looked over the dead turkey, hand resting on his chin. “How do we do this?”

With a sigh, Eduardo rolled up his sleeves. “Allow me.”

 

The mood was pleasant as the four stood around the kitchen, attending to various things. Eduardo worked on plucking the turkey, along with Matt who was sticking the feathers in his hair, claiming they made him look good. Edd tended to the cooking, making mashed potato and preparing the turkey stuffing while Tom was out on the kitchen balcony, trying to scare away the turkeys that had somehow found their way up to the apartment, hellbent on avenging their friend.

Cooking the bird was different to how Eduardo would have preferred it. They put the stuffing in appropriately, and placed it in the tray, surrounded by vegetables and all the other things needed to make a delicious meal.  
“It’ll need a good few hours to cook through,” he’d said, looking to the clock. Late afternoon already. “I don’t know if we’ll make it for dinner.”

“We’ll make it,” Edd had assured, pushing the tray into the oven. Before Eduardo could cut in, the Brit had cranked the temperature up, causing a blazing inferno inside. It only lasted for a moment though, with Matt turning the oven off and pulling out a perfectly cooked turkey. The three of them stared at the meal and laughed, while Tom swore on the balcony, still in combat with the invading turkeys.

 

With the last of the birds dealt with, Tom set aside his weapon and came back inside, pulling feathers out of his hoodie. “Is everything done?”

“Sure looks like it,” came Eduardo’s answer as he looked over the area. Matt was wiping down the benches, while Edd was working on pouring them all some drinks. Set out on the small kitchen table was the food, all packed tightly together and leaving no room for their plates. Tom gave a shrug and took a seat, setting his plate down in his lap and waiting for the others. Soon enough, they trickled in and took their place, passing out the drinks and getting ready to dig in.

Matt was about to stick his fork into a turkey leg when Edd held up a hand. “Wait, do we do something before we eat?”

Eduardo shrugged. It’d been far too long for him to remember the technicalities of Thanksgiving beyond food and turkey prep. When they’d bothered to try and celebrate in England, they’d skip all the formalities and get straight to eating. “I mean, you could probably say what you’re thankful for-”

“I’m thankful for mirrors, and my lovely friends, and my dashing good looks,” Matt cut in, taking the piece of turkey leg.

Tom leant forward, scooping up some mashed potato. “I’m thankful for vodka, and weapons, and for friends that are always willing to go places with me.”

Edd paused, trying to think. Matt heaped some turkey onto his plate while he pondered on what to be thankful for. “I’m thankful for... this plate of food.” He looked down at his lap, poking at the piece he’d been cut. “And for the people who support me, and cola, of course.”

It made them all laugh, raising their spirits. “What are you thankful for?” Matt asked, turning to Eduardo. Silence fell over them as they all turned to face the man, waiting patiently, if not eagerly. “Uh...” He cleared his throat and twiddled his thumbs nervously. “I guess I’m thankful for being invited to lunch. With you all.”

The words hung in the air, and Eduardo found himself worrying he’d said something wrong. Tom was the one who broke the silence, scooping up some vegetables from the turkey pan and dumping them on the American’s plate. “Had to get sappy, didn’t you?”

“If I’m being honest, I’m thankful that after I eat this meal I didn’t pay for, I never have to speak to any of you again!” Eduardo answered with a huff, making Edd laugh.

“Until you need another free handout,” Tom shot back with a grin.

 

From there it devolved into good-natured banter, words being slung across the table as they ate and drank, content in eachother’s company. Any animosity that Eduardo had against his former neighbours was gone, and the trio found themselves honestly happy to have the other with them.  
Eduardo couldn’t force the smile away as he watched the three bicker and argue, still friendly yet harsh. It was a perfect mix, and he was stuck right in the middle of it.

 

It was something to be thankful for.

And he was.

**Author's Note:**

> I aint no American so I have no idea what Thanksgiving actually entails but I hope it was alright.


End file.
